Firing mechanism for repeating firearms



Sept. 18, 1945.k v. A. BRowNlNG FIRING MECHANISM FOR REPEATING FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l y NR Original Filed July 9, 1941 sept. 1s, 1945. v. A. ROWNING' Y 2,385,057

FIRING MECHANISM FOR REPEATING FIREARMS` Origihal Filed July 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 nimm Rg luv-r4 100 gg' 1111@ 10e-' "Q :inventor A 49 Gttorneg sept. 1s, 1945.

V. A- BROWNING FIRING MECHANISM FOR REPEATING FIREARMS Original Filed July 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WMM Patented Sept.. 18, 1945 2.385.057 v FmiNG MEcnAmsM Fon REPEATIN FmEAnMs van A. Browning, ogaen, Utah, minor tb J. M.

& M. S.v Brownin corporation o! Utah g Com pany. Orden, Utah, a.

11 Claims. ,(Cl. 42-3) This invention relates to repeating firearms and has particular reference to firing mechanism for use in connection therewith. 'I'he invention finds particular application in a rearm of the blow-back type wherein the expanding power gases are utilized to automatically perform the functions of retracting the breech block and withdrawing the spent case.

The present application is a divisional of my application Serial No. 401,602, led July 9, 1941, and entitled Repeating firearm."

The aim of the invention is to provide an improved flring mechanism which has various features of novelty and advantage and which is par- Iticularly characterized by its simplicity in construction, economy-in manufacture, and effectiveness and reliability in operation.

A further aim of the invention is to provide improved firing mechanism whereby the firearm may be conveniently red in either a semiautomatic or a full automatic manner at the immediate selection of the shooter.

Other objects will be-invpart obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the feablock and firing pin being illustrated in substantially their rearmost positions;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 but showing the parts inthe positions which they have when the trigger is maintained in pulled position after firing and the breech block and firing pin have returned to their normal firing positions;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the screw |03 having been backed olf and the trigger being held l in a position to effect full automatic ring;

tures of construction, combination of elements l and arrangement of parts which will be exempliiled in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a. sectional view taken generally longitudinally and vertically through the receiver oi' the rearm and shows the various parts in their normal or firing positions;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the receiver in the plane which includes the pivot for the trigger, this view being takensubstantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking rearwardly in the direction of the arrows;

, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the rear end of the receiver, this view being taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking forwardly in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the rear end of the receiver looking l towards the right hand side of the firearm with the parts of the firing mechanism shown in normal or firing position and with the screw |03 so adjusted that the gun can be red in a semiautomatic manner only;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in red position, the trigger being shown as having been pulled and the breech Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the manner in which the connector cams the sear to a release positionA when the recoil mass moves to its forward position while the trigger is maintained pulled to effect full automatic firing; and

Fig. 9 is a view showing the breechblock,l the extension block, and the trigger plate in perspective.

As the present invention is primarily directed to the firing mechanism, only so much of the rearm is illustrated as is necessary to show one application of the invention. For a fuller description of the firearm to which my improved firing mechanism is shown as being applied, reference may be had to my said co-pending application Serial No. 401,602.

Referring to the drawings, A designates generally a receiver; B, a barrel secured in any suitable manner to the forward end of the receiver; C, a stock which may be of the usual construction; D, a tube or sleeve for housing the recoil spring E, this sleeve being mounted in the forward end of the stock and having its forward end demountably connected to the rear end of the receiver; F, the breech block forming a part of the multi-part recoil mass mounted in the receiver; G. a cartridge magazine of the usual construction; and H, the trigger plate located Within the receiver and supporting the trigger mechanism, the magazine latch, and the stop-open latch, as described more in detail hereinafter.

The receiver A is in the form of a cylindrical tube, the forward e'nd of which is internally threaded so as to receive the rear end of the barrel B which may be of the usual construction. The rear end of the receiver is externally threaded as at Il so as to bedemountably screwed into the. internally threaded enlarged forward end of the recoil spring tube D. The receiver, adjacent its rear end and on its under side, is longitudinally slotted, as at I3, so as to provide a loading opening which accommodates the upper end of a replaceable magazine -G which also .so as to accommodate may be of the usual sort. The receiver, adjacent its forward end and on its right hand side, has an ejection opening I6 through which the spent case is thrown upon recoil of the breech block in the usual manner. The receiver, at its rear end and on its under side, has a slot |6 for ac-f commodating the trigger D is mounted within a bore 24 in the forward end of the stock Cv and serves to house the recoil spring E and to guide certain partsof the recoil mass. The rear end of the tube is closed'by a suitable closure, which is not shown in the present instance, and the rear' end of the spring E is adapted to abut against this closure. 'I'he stock 'may be provided at its forward end with a depending pistol grip 26. The recoil mass is shown as including the breech block F, an extension block 29, and a follower block 60. The numeral 34 designates the firing pin-' The trigger plate H is secured by means o a screw 40 within the cylindrical receiver A rearwardly of the loading opening i3. This trigger plate supports the ring mechanism which includes the trigger 4|, the sear 42and the connector 43. The trigger plate further supports, at

- its forward end, anejector 44, a magazine latch asados? portion slidably tting .within the tube D and an enlarged head 62 on its forward end slidably iit- 4|. The casing or tube 4 5, and a .stop-open latch 46. The latter is for l automatically latching the breech block in its retracted position after the last shot in the magazine has been fired or for manually latching the breech block in its retracted position at will. The trigger plate, as will be seen from Fig. 2. is a parti cylindrical member with its under surface conforming to, and seating snugly against, the internal periphery of the receiver. The upper surface of the plate to opposite sides ofthe center line thereof is flat and smooth so as to provide lands 52 which slidably support the breech block F and extension block 29 of therecoil mass. The

plate, at its rear end, is longitudinally slotted, as at 41, so as to accommodate the trigger mechanism,

and the plate, at its forward end, is

slotted, as at 48, so as:to accommodate the latches and 46. As stated, the trigger plate is secured against the bottom portion of the receiver by the screw 40, and this screw is also employed .to hold a trigger guard 49 in place.

As stated in my said co-pending application, the recoil mass includes. two or more parts arranged in succession and mounted one behind the other, these parts having a limited relative movement in the direction of the axis of the gun upon tiring in order to disintegrate the shock of recoil. The breech block F of this recoil mass consists of a parti-cylindrical member slidably fitting within the receiver above the trigger plate.

, and has, laterally beyond these grooves, at surfaces 56 which engage the lands 62 of the trigger plate.' The upper wall 69 of the left hand groove 55 serves as a connector holding surface. The breech block has alcentral or axial bore 61 v'which slidably receives the firing pin 34 which has, on its forward end, a ring point 58. The under wall of the bore is longitudinally slotted, as at 60, the ejector 44 which may be of the usualconstruction. Mounted on the forward end of the breech block is an extractor 6| for withdrawing the spent case from the firing chamber `of the-barrelA upon recoil of the breech block when the gun is fired. This extractor may be of the ordinary kindthe same being diagrammatically shown in the drawings.

TheA extension block 29 has a` cylindrical body 'defines the upper wail of in theunder side of the ting within the cylindrical bore of the receiver. The under side of the extension block up to Just short of its rear end is slabbed off so as to provide surfaces 66 which ride upon the lands 62 provided on the upper surface of the trigger plate. The extension block has an axial bore v64 aligned with the bore 61 of the breech block for accommodating the ring pin.- This bore 64 is open at its under side so` as to accommodate the sear during longitudinal movement of the extension block andy to permit the sear to engage in the notch 66 of the firing pin for holding the firing pin in cocked position. It may be stated here that this notch, at its rear end, has a shoulder 66 against which the rear end of the sear is adapted to engage. The notch, at its forward end. is tapered -as at 61. The extension block has, on its under side and to the left hand side of the bore 64, a connector-holding surface 66 which is above the plane ofthe surfaces 66. This surface 66 is in the same plane as, and, in effect, forms a continuation of, the surface 66 which the left hand groove l! breech block F. At the rear end of this surface 66 is a notch 10 which opens into the left hand side of the extension block. The rear wall 1| of this notch is abrupt or perpendicular, and its front wall 12 is forwardly and downwardly inclined for a purpose 'to be later explained.

The follower block 30 is slidably. located within the tube D. The rear end of this block is of somewhatreduced diameter so that the forward end of the recoil spring E may surround the same and abut against the shoulder provided by the rear end of the forward enlarged portion. This block has an axial bore 14 in line with the-central bores of the breech block and extension block so that these several bores may accommodate the firing pin 34. The ming pin is provided with a rearwardly extending rod or stem for supporting a firing pin spring 9| coiled thereabout. This spring, at its forward end, abuts against the rear end of the body portion of the firing pin and, at its rear end, abuts against a closure or disk (not shown) located at the rear end of the tube D.

The firing mechanism, which includes the trigger 4|, the sear 42, and the connector 43, will now be described. The trigger is pivoted on a pin' |00 located adjacent the forward end of the slot 41 in the trigger plate. Also lpivoted on this pin and between the ears on the forward end of the trigger is a pressure lever |0| the under side of the forward end of which is adapted to abut against a shoulder |02 on the trigger plate for the purpose of limiting the extent of upward pull on the trigger. Preferably, in .order to prevent cramping between the trigger and the pressure lever, a bearing sleeve 96 (see Fig. 2) is interposed between the pin |00 and the trigger, and the pressure lever is journalled on this sleeve. This lever lill, as hereinafter described more in detail, is held against pivotal movement relative to the trigger when the gun is to be'rlred only in a semiautomatic manner by a screw |03 mounted for axial adjustment in a threaded opening in the body of the trigger. About this screw and between the tail end of the lever and the trigger is a coiled spring |04 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described more in detail. Downward movement of the trigger is limited by the the rear end of |08 carried by the trigger plate' rearwardly of the 5 pin |00. The rear end of this sear has a shoulder |01 adapted lto engage the shoulder 00 of the firing pin for'holding that pin in the firing position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. 4'Ihe forward end 0f the sear has a downwardly facing connector en- 10 gaging face |08 which terminates at its rear end in a connector locking abutment |09 disposed generally at right angles tothe face |08. The sear furtherhas, rearwardly of the abutment |09 and meeting the upper end of that abutment. at 15 an obtuse angle, a cam surface I I0. The extreme forward end of the sear also has a rearwardly facing depending hook which is adapted to interlock with the connector 43 in order to prevent the sear from being Jarred from ring pin 20 holding position.

The connector 43 is pivoted to the trigger as atI I5. This connector has a sear engaging portion located beneath and in the vertical plane of the forward end of the sear, and this portion has a' 25 normally upwardly facing sear actuating surface I I6 which is positioned beneath andin opposition to the connector engaging surface |08 of the sear when the firing mechanism is in the normal or iiring position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. At the 30 forward end of the surface ||6 is a forwardly extending lug I I1 which is adapted to takeinto the hook III (see Figs. 1 and 4). The forward end of this lug constitutes an abutment at the forward end of the surface ||6 and this abut- 35 ment is adapted to engage the connector locking abutment |09 of the sear as shown in Fig. 6 for the purpose of preventing the connector from swinging forwardly to a position wherethe surfaces |08 and I I6 are opposed until the trigger is 40 released after the trigger has been pulled and the gun has been red in a semi-automatic manner. The upper forward corner ||9 of thesear engaging portion of the connector, that is, the corner between the Isurface I I6 and the abutment formed by the forward surface of the lug ||1 is adapted to engage the cam surface I0 of the sear so as to automatically release the Sear from the firing pin when the firearm is beingvflred in a full automatic manner. gaging portion of the connector and located to one side of the sear is a fingerv I |8 which extends into the notch 10 of the extension block when the recoil mass is in its forward position (see Figs. 3

and 4). The upper end of the finger is in engage- 65 ment with the connector engaging surfaces 68 and 69 of the extension block and breech block during the rearward and'forward movements of such blocks (see Figs.'5 and '7) The sear is normally urged into its firing pin 60 holding position, the trigger is normally urged towards its unpulled'position, and the connector is normally urged forwardly into a sear actuating position lby a very economical, simple, and

effective spring arrangement which may be easily 65 Extending upwardly from the sear en- 50 Aceived by a hole in a projection |26 extending forwardly from the base of the nger I8 of the connector. Extending through the bottom crook or bend of the spring is a transverse pin |21 removably carried by the trigger plate. To install the spring, it is merely necessary to slip the upper arm thereof into thesear, slip the forward end of the lower arm into the hole in the projection |26, and then slip the pin |21 into the bottom crook of the spring.

As previously stated, when the screw |03 carried by the trigger is screwed home so that the pressure lever |0| can have nov relative movement with respect to the trigger, the gun can be fired only in a semi-automatic maner. Assuming.' for the present, that that condition pertains, the functioning of the mechanism is briefly as follows. Figs. 1 and 4 show the firing mechanism in its normal position, that is, the .breech is closed and the gun is ready for firing. It will be observed that the sear is in cocked position, .the trigger is down in unpulled position, and the connector is in its forward position with its sear engaging surface I|6 opposed to the downwardly facing surface |08 on the forward end of the sear and with its'nger extending into the notch 10 of the extension block. Upon pulling of the trigger, the connector is raised resulting in actuation of the sear and release of the firing pin. The firing pin, under the compression of the firing pin spring 9|, moves sharply forward so that this pin strikes the primer of the cartridge located within the firing chamber of the barrel. On the resulting explosion, the power gases d'rive the recoil mass backwardly, and as this mass starts backwardly, the inclined camming surface 12 on the extension block engages the finger I |8 of the connector and cams the connectorl to the position shown in Fig. 5 and in which position it is thereafter held by the connector engaging .surfaces 6 8 and 69 of the extension block and breech block during the rearward and forward movements of those blocks providing that the trigger is held in the pulled position shown in 5 Fig. 5. Upon the return ,of the recoil mass to its forward position, the trigger still being maintained in pulled position, the connector and sear assume the positions shown in Fig. 6.' As therein shown, the sear is in cocked or firing pin hold- .ing position but the connector is held from moving forwardly 'to its full forward position by the engagement of the connector against the abutment |09 on the sear. In other words, the connector is maintained by the sear from moving to its normal position in which the face ||6 of the connector is beneath the face |08 of the sear. This means that in order to again fire the gun, the trigger must be released and again pulled between which movements the connector would be released from the sear bringing the face ||6 of the connector beneath vthe face |08 of the sear. Of course, if, during the movement of the recoil mass, the trigger is released, the parts automatically assume the positions shown in Fig. 4 when the recoil mass reaches its forward or normal breech closing position. It will be observed that when the gun is set to operate in a senilautomatic manner, the extent to which the trigger can be raised is limited to the position shown 0 in Figs. 5 and 6 and in which position the camming corner II9L on the connector is not high enough to engage the camming surface I|0 of the sear.

When it is desired to adapt the flre'arm so 5 that it may be selectively operated in either a semi-automatic manner or a full automatic man ner by varying the pull of the operator's nger on the trigger, the screw H13 is backed o, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, to permit of a pivotal movement of the trigger with respect to the pressure lever IM. This allows the trigger to be selectively moved to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which semi-automatic firing is obtained, or to the higher position (by exerting a greater pull on the trigger) shown in Figs. 'i and 8 in which full automatic ring is obtained so long as the trigger is maintained in its fully pulled or highest position. Assuming that the screw E03 has been backed ofi, the operation of the ring mechanism is now briey as follows. Starting with the parts in their normal firing Ipositions shown in Fig. 1, if it is desired to fire the rearm in a semi-automatic manner, the

trigger is pulled to the intermediate positionI shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and in which position, it being assumed that the screw |03 has been backed oi, the coiled spring i! is not compressed or at least is not compressed to any appreciable extent. The operation will now be the same as that previously described in connection with the semi-automatic ring. If it is desired to fire in a full automatic manner, it is merely neces sary to exert a harder pull on the trigger thus raising the trigger to its upper limit of move ment shown in Figs. 7 and 8, it being observed that, due to this-harder pull, the spring ma is compressed. Upon upward movement of the trigger from its unpulled position shown in Fig. 1, the connector will release the Sear from the firing pin in the same manner as heretofore described, resulting in the first ring of the gun. Upon recoil of the recoil mass, the cam surface l2 of the extension block will cam the connector backwardly to the position shown in Fig. 'I in which position it will be held by the connector engaging surfaces 68 and 69 of the extension block and breech block during the rearward and forward. movements Ao f those blocks. It will be observed that the connector has a more rearward position than that shown in Fig. 5 because the pivot H5 for the connector is in a hi-gher` position during full automatic ring than it has during semi-automatic firing. During forward movement of the recoil mass, the rear end ii of the sear will automatically engage the shoulder 66 of the advancing iring pin and thereby hold the firing pin in cocked position until the recoil mass reaches its breech closing position. As the recoil mass approaches such position, the vertical wall 1| of the notch i will engage the nger 8 and .positively swing the connector forwardly so that the corner il@ on the body portion of the connector will engage and ride along the cam surface H0 of the sear, thus camming the forward end of the sear upwardly and the rear end downwardly with the result that when the recoil mass has fully reached its breech closing position the firing pin is auto= matically released and the rearm is red a second time; The firearm will continue to fire in a full automatic manner so long as the trigger is held in its fully raised position and so long as cartridges are supplied to the gun. As long as the trigger remains in full pulled position, the upwardly facing shoulder ||6 on the connector cannot come below the connector engaging surface |08 of the sear for each time that the connector is swung forwardly by-the extension block, the forward face of the lug ||`i forms a stop-face for engagement with the rearwardly facing abutment H5 of the sear. The perpendicular shoulder or wall 1| of the notch 1l of Y the extension block pushes the connector substantially to the last mentioned position but not beyond it. When it is desired to cease full automatic iiring, it is merely necessary to release the trigger in which case the parts again assume the position shown in Fig. 1. It is thus noted that the operator may very quickly and readily change irom firing in a semi-automatic manner to a full automatic manner and vice versa by merely changing, at any time he may desire, the amount of pressure which he -exerts on the trigger.

It may be desirable at times to selectively 4render the ilrearm operable. for either semi-automatic ring or for full automatic firing without .embodying the selective arrangement just dethe left hand shoulder being lower than the right hand one. The ends IS and il!! of the band are spaced apart at the slot I9 in the receiver through which the trigger extends. The band is adjustably adjusted to three positions. it being resiliently held in each of these positions by the selective.-

engagement of a small nib itc carried by the band: in notches HI provided in theexternal periphery of the receiver (see Fig. 3). The band is provided with iinger pieces |52 so that it may be more easily adjusted to its several positions. With this arrangement, when it is desired to fire the gun in a full automatic manner, the

band is adjusted to the mid-position shown in Fig. 3, in which case both ends of the band are out of the path of movement of the trigger so that the trigger may be raised to the full automatic tiring position shown in Figs. r'I and 8. When it is desired to' fire the gun in a semi-automatic manner only, the band is adjusted counterclockwise with respect to`Flg. 3 so that the left hand end |38 of the band overlies the shoulder 836 on the trigger. The trigger then can only be pulled to the intermediate positionshown in Figs. 5-and 6. When it is desired to lock the locking arrangement is to prevent the sear from` being jarred out of its cocked position resulting in an accidental discharge of the firearm in the event the same were dropped or iarred. Thus. when the trigger is locked in safety position by the band |35, the sear is locked by the hook against accidental movement. However, the gun may be cocked while the safety is in the "onl position without doingany damage to the parts because, upon the first opening `movement of non mue the trigger is maintained in its ex- Y treme pulled position, said scar having a cam the breech block, the inclined surface 12 on the extension block will swing the connector out of locking engagement with the sear.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without 'departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that thelanguag used in the following claims is intended to 4cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described and `all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a firearm, a receiver, a breech block therein, a firing pin, a sear for the firing pin pivotally supported'by said receiver; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate position, and anextreme pulled position; and a connector between said trigger and sear and movable by said breech block to an inoperative position relative to the sear upon recoil movement of the breech block and movable by said breech block towards operative position when the breech block moves forwardly into breech -closing position, said connector and sear being so constructed and arranged that when the connector moves from its inoperative position towards its operative position, while the trigger is in its extreme pulled position, the connector releases the sear from the ring pin to effect full automatic'ring, and when said trigger is in intermediate position movement of said connector is ineffectual with respect to the sear.

2. In a firearm, a receiver, a recoil mass therein comprising a breech block, a firing pin, a sear for the ring pin; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate position, andan ex- 'treme pulled position; a connector between said trigger and sear having a sear actuating position when the trigger is in unpulled position, means on the recoil mass for moving said connector to an inoperative position with respect to the sear upon rearward movement of the breech block, and means on the recoil mass for moving the connector towards its sear actuating position as the breech block moves into its breech closing position while the trigger is in its extreme pulled position, said connector'and sear being so constructed and arranged that when said last mentioned means moves said connector towards its sear actuating position, while the trigger is in its extreme pulled position, said connector will cam said sear from its firing pin holding position to effect full automatic firing of the firearm, and when said trigger is in its intermediate position movement of the connector towards its sear actuating position is ineffectual to operate the sear.

3. In a firearm, a receiver, a recoil mass therein including a breech block, a ring pin, a sear for the firing pin; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate position, and an extreme pulled position; a connector pivoted to said trigger and having a sear actuating position when said trigger is in unpulled position, means on the recoil mass for moving said connector rearwardly out of sear actuating position upon recoil movement of the breech block, means on the recoil mass for moving the connector forwardly as thel breech block moves into its breech closing posisurface and said connector being engageable with said cam surface when said last mentioned means movesvthe connector forwardly while the trigger is in extreme pulled position whereby saidconnector will cam said Sear from firing pin holding position to effect automatic firing of the firearm, l

pin land having at its other end a connector engaging face and a cam surface located behind said face; a pivoted trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate position, and an extreme pulled position; and a connector pivoted to the trigger and having a sear actuating face, a

camming portion at one end thereof engageable.

with said cam surface of the sear, and a finger cooperating with said recoil Imass; said recoil mass having a cam'surface adapted to engage said finger to cam the connector to inoperative position upon recoil of said recoil mass, said recoil mass having a shoulder adapted to engage said finger to cam said connector towards operative position as the recoil mass moves into its breech closing position to thereby cause the cam portion of said cgnnector to engage the cam. surface of said sear to release the sear and result in full automatic firing whenl the trigger is maintained in its extreme pulled position, said cam portion of saidconnector being out of engagement with the cam surface of said searwhen said trigger is in its intermediate position.

5. In a firearm, a receiver, a recoil mass therein, a firing pin; a pivoted sear for the firing pin having a connector engaging face, a cam surface, and an abutment therebetween; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate position, and an extreme pulled position, a connector pivoted to said trigger and having a sear actuating face, a stop face, and a camming portion therebetween; means on the recoil mass for moving said connector to inoperative position with respect to the sear upon rearward movement of the recoil mass, and means on the recoil mass for moving the connector towards its sear actuating position as the recoil mass moves into its breech closing position while the trigger is in its extreme pulled position whereby said camming portion of the connector will engage said cam surface of the scar to release the sear and result in full automatic firing, said camming portion of the connector being out of engagement with said cam surface ofthe sear when the trigger is in intermediate position, said stop face being engageable with said abutment of the sear for preventing the connector from moving to sear actuating position while the trigger is maintained pulled.

6. In a rearm, a receiver, a breech block therein, a firing pin, a sear for the firing pin; a trigger having an unpulled position,'an intermediate position, and an extreme pulled position; a connector pivoted on said trigger and engageable with said sear, means associated with said breech block for'moving the connector to an inoperative position relative to the sear upon recoil movement of the breech block and for moving said connector towards operative position when the breech block moves forwardly into its breech closing position, and means for selectively limiting the pull of the trigger to its intermediate and full pulled position, said connector and sear being so constructed and arranged that when the connector moves from its inoperative position i towards its operative position while the trigger is in its extreme pulled position the connector releases the sear from the tiring pin to efl'eot full automatic firing, and when said trigger is in intermediate position movementl of said connector is ineiectual to operate the sear.

7. In a firearm, a receiver, a recoil mass therein, a ring pin, a sear for the tiring pin; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate poposition to eiiect full automatic' firing, a stop on the rearm, a stop on the trigger and engageable with said first mentioned stop when the trigger is pulled to its intermediate position, and a spring associated with one of said stops for demanding a greater pull on the trigger when it is pulled from its intermediate position to its extreme pulled position than that required to move the trigger from its unpulled Iposition to itsintermediate position.

8. In a rearm, a receiver, a breech block,`

therein, a ring pin, a sear for the firing pin; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate position when the firearm is red in a semi automatic manner, and an extreme pulled position when the firearm is tired in a full automatic manner; a connector between said trigger and sear, a iixed stop on the firearm, a stop lever pivoted on the trigger and'engageable with said stop when the trigger is pulled to its intermediate position, and a spring between said lever and trig ger for demanding a greater pull on the trigger when it is raised from its intermediate position to its extreme pulled position than that required to move the trigger from its unpulled position to its intermediate position.

9. In a firearm, a receiver, a recoil mass therein. a firing pin, a sear for the ring pin; a trigger having an unpulled position, an intermediate po sition, and an extreme pulled position; a conassenso nector between said trigger and senr, means on the recoil mass for moving the connector towards its operative V`position as the recoil mass ap proaches its breechv closing position, camming means between said connector and scar for releasing the searwhen the connector is so moved and the trigger is in its Aextreriie pulled position, a fixed stop on the firearm, a stop lever pivoted on the trigger and engageable with said nxed stop, a spring between said lever and trigger for demanding a greater pull on the trigger when it is pulled from its intermediate position to its extreme pulled position than that required to move the trigger from its unpulled positionto its intermediate position, and means for preventing movement between said stop lever Iand trigger when it is desired to re the firearm in a semiautomatic manner only.

10. ln a'firearm, a trigger mechanism comprising a trigger plate, a trigger pivoted thereto, a sear pivoted to the trigger plate, and a connector between said trigger and sear and pivoted to said trigger, a single spring for urging said sear into firing pin holding position and said trigger and connector to operative positions. said spring comprising an S-shaped member having its upper arm. engaging the under side of the sear and its lower arm engaging the connector, the upper bend of the spring being in partially embracing relation to the pivot oi the sear, and a pin carried by the trigger plate and located in the lower bend of said spring.

11. In a firearm, a receiver, a trigger pivoted in the receiver and adapted to extend through a slot therein, said trigger having at opposite sides upwardly facing shoulders, the shoulder at one side beingv higher than that at the other, and an angularly adjustable spring bandabout said receiver having its ends spaced apart at said slot, said band having three positions of adjustment in the intermediate of which both ends of the band are out of the path of movement of the trigger to permit the trigger to. be moved to a full pulled position, said band when in one of its extreme positions having one end overlying the lower shoulder to limit the pull of the trigger to an intermediate position, and said band when in its other extreme position having its other end overlying therhigher shoulder in order to lock the trigger in unpulled position.

v VAL A. BROWNING. 

